Elizabeth I portrait

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I (1533–1603) was queen of England and Ireland from 1558 to 1603 and was the last monarch of the Tudor period. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. She succeeded to the throne in November 1558 following the death of her sister Mary I and went on to reign for 45 years. Elizabeth never married but saw herself as wedded to her country. Her finest hour was arguably in 1588 when she defeated the Spanish Armada, a great fleet of ships sent by King Philip II of Spain to invade England. Elizabeth is also referred to as the Virgin Queen, Good Queen Bess and 'Gloriana'

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Episode 4Was Elizabeth I's reign really a 'golden age'?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Episode 3Elizabeth’s enemies: plots, rivals and the Spanish Armada. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Episode 2Elizabeth I: a woman in a man’s world. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Episode 1Young Elizabeth I: the making of a queen. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Three Tudor-era children sit at a table within an ornate architectural frame, dressed in elaborate period clothing, with small round objects laid out before them.

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Royal rivalries10 of the most famous sibling relationships. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Episode 1Elizabeth I: The power of delaying decisions. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A historical portrait of a person in a dark fur‑trimmed garment and black hat is placed before the ruins of a stone building, with a moody, clouded sky behind.

Tudor

The 'Nine Days Queen' is one of England's most controversial monarchs - here's why

A collage of Tudor figures. Each square shows a different monarch or noble figure in 16th‑ or early‑17th‑century dress, including ruffs, jewelled headpieces, and richly decorated garments. Recognisable figures such as Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Mary I, Elizabeth I, and James I appear among the portraits. The grid highlights variations in artistic style, clothing, and facial depiction across the period.

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Think you know everything about the Tudors? Here are 15 facts that will prove you wrong. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A digital collage mixes close‑up sections of a painted face with modern geometric shapes in yellow, blue, gray, white, and rust‑red, intersected by black lines. A necklace with a gold letter “B” and pearl drops appears among the fragments.

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What did Anne Boleyn REALLY look like? Our new research could change everything. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A cartoon-style rubber date stamp with a red top and a yellow crown sits on a stack of three yellow books labeled 1, 2, and 3. The stamp’s rotating number bands are visible, and the books are arranged like steps against a plain background.

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What was the most important year in history? We asked 9 experts – and this is what they said. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Procrastinate like Elizabeth I. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A large illustration of Henry VIII with several images imprinted on him

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Porpoise for breakfast and late night sex visits: Henry VIII's life in a day. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A painting of two men, dressed in colourful robes, hug each other. One man is standing on top of a lamb, the other on a lion

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Michael Wood on the rise and fall of Asian empires. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

An illustration of a haunted house. The background is black and purple, and the house is split into orange, green, black and white boxes. In each box, there are Halloween themed things such as skulls, ghosts, and eyes looking through keyholes

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From tragic Tudor queens to restless Roman soldiers: Britain's 8 most haunted houses. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A painting showing a man dressed in armour, with a blue and red flag over him, riding a white horse amongst a busy battlefield

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5 things you (probably) didn't know about the Tudors. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A collaged picture shows a marble statue of Elizabeth I wearing a large crown on the left, and a portrait of King James I, dressed in a red and white robe and crown on the right

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The lie of succession: did James I steal Elizabeth I's crown?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A painting shows a topless woman sitting up in bed, holding her hand against the face of the man leaning over her

Tudor

What did the Tudors think was ‘good’ sex? These tips and tricks were key to relationships in the 16th century

Two green hearts are sideways, facing each other. In each there is an image: one has a painting of Elizabeth I and the other has a painting of the Duke of Anjou

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The Virgin Queen? Elizabeth I's forbidden love. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

An illustration showing Queen Elizabeth I. Her body has been replaced with an egg timer and her facial expression is looking worried.

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Master the art of procrastination, with the help of the Virgin Queen. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Two men dressed in Tudor clothes stand next to one another against a green curtain backdrop. Between them are several items, including a globe, a hymnbook and a lute

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Tudors in turmoil: deciphering Hans Holbein’s masterwork The Ambassadors. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Queen Elizabeth I.

Elizabethan

QuizHow well do you know the Elizabethan period?

Elizabeth I and James VI & I (Photo by Getty Images and Alamy)

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From Tudor to Stuart: the succession of 1603. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots.

Elizabethan

Why Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots never met

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Video podcastHow was Elizabeth I shaped by her childhood?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Tracy Borman at Hampton Court Palace

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Explore Hampton Court Palace with Professor Tracy Borman. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The Family of Henry VIII

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The ultimate Tudor quiz. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Elizabethans quiz – week four. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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The Succession, with Professor Tracy Borman. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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How was Elizabeth I shaped by her childhood?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Plots and Rebellions, with Professor Tracy Borman. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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